The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1887-03-26

ward the poplurs Charley crept up noare
and nearer, looking warily around foi
fear Of Indians. Ho walked up within
five feet Of the clump OF poplars, and wa'
on the point IL placing his hand on th'
gray horses neck, when an Indian war
rior lcapei out.
II is ns dsparag'mcnt 10 Charley 10 say
that when he found himself suddenly
face To face with the rcd man his mouti
opened rs widr ns did his eyes, that Tho
color il,d from his che cks, that his hear
thumpcd and hultcrcd like n bird In 4
Gag, aud that for n moment he could moi
stir.
"Ughw gruntcd the savage, white boy
walk the woods with red both r." mean
Ing ne would g with him 10 Canada. But
Charley was I quite ready TO do that
Stepping back quick v, hc fitted one OF his
tack headed arrows to the string OF ms
bow and discharged IT fun at the Indian.
The warrior sprang aside; but he was
not quick enough, for the shaft had beef
well aimed. II passed through his neck
between the skin and the flesh. Utterlnp
cry Of anger, he lcapcd on the boy anc
caught him by the throat. He hastily fell
for his tom hawk, and in the heat OF ms
rage would undoubtedly have ended the
poor BOYS career then and there; but
MISSING the handle at the first grasp, ne
suddenly changed his mind, and liftlng tho
boy To the back of the gray horse, ted him
securely and led the animal toward the
party that was with the canoe.
The two Lads exchanged sorrowful
smile ns their cuptors brought them To-
gcthcr. Bill had been placed IN the canoe,
where there were two or three hogs,
which the savagcs had plundcrcd from
settlement lower down the river. These
hogs bclon red TO n man named Sarg nt
who lived in Walpolc, and he and scvcra.
Of his neighbors had gone out thai
very morning in search Of the maraudcrs.
They had tracked the thieves tt
the river, and suspcctng they might
be Indians, hal embarked in boat and
rowcd up stream, hoping to come upon
them unaware and recover their stolen
property
A httlo cove shot into the river al
the poirt whore the two boys had beer
captured, and the stream thus made 8
bend around this point Of land The
indians, their canoe and their horses were
on one side Of the bend, and the armed
white men in their boat were approach
ing the other just before they turned the
bend, one of the whites heard the snort OF
a horse. Surprised at this they rested on
their oars moment, and then rowcd on
more cautiously.
Passing around low, wooded bank, they
saw sight that made them halt again A
canoe with three Indians In 1t was push
ing away from the shore. They could see
that it WIS heavily laden. for it sunk
deep into the water. Only one In.
dian was padd ing, and the canoe very
slowly advanced into the middle of the
stream. A fourth Indian had just en-
tered the river with two hJrScs, on the
back of one of which was a white boy,
with his arms pinioncd behind HIM. In
the canoe by the two dead hogs, was a
PROSTATE figure, which they had no doubt
was another captive.
Sargent instantly ordered his party to
fire. They did SO, and two of the Indians
in the canoe fell dead or fatally wounded.
The Ind an who was padding threw down
his paddles and plunged into the river. a
shot was fired at him, which either killed
or disabled him, for he sank, and was seen
no more The Indian on horseback did not
lift his gun but very quietly urged his
horses across the river. Two OF the set
tiers fired at him. but the only result was
the splashiu Of his naked skin by the dis
turbcd water.
"Those horses are stolen, and the imps
mustn't get away with them said Sar
gent; "but don't fire again. We may IN
jurc the boy"
The settlers bent their oars, and In q
few moments swept up alongside OF the
struggling horses. The savage did moi
wait for them to como up. but leapcd into
the water, and deliberately swan TO The
abandoned canoe, which was floating ter
or "A dozen rods from the New Hampshire
side. Tn = he cambcred into seiz d The
paddles, and began TO steer 1t toward Tho
Vermont shore.
After they had seized the horses, thu
whites turned their attention 10 this bold
warrior, who seemed determined to cs
cape with the canoe. Two Of them, whit
had reloaded shot at him, but, though
both expert marksmcn, they failed tt
harm him The close proximity of thei
bullets, however. forced him to rclnquisi
the canoe. Holding his rifle above hi
head, tho undauntcd savage SWAN to tn,
Vermont shore, and, landing unharmcd
disappeared in the forest.
The whites now rowcd up to the canoe
which was drifting aim!cssly round anl
round.
Don't shoot, I'm n whittier cried {
voice, IA they approached.
II was poor Bill, who with his Limbs
bound with dcerskin, was just able to 81
up in the canoe,
"Well, you've saved the horses any
how; but the colts gone, sure" he cX
claimed, as he glanced around and saw
that the horses were secure.
One of Sargcnts men jumped aboard
the frall craft, and padded it. ashore
where Bill and Charley were both re
leased from their bonds, A fire was
kindlcd in the wildwood, and portion OF
the recaptured pork was soon sizzling IL
the flames. After hearty meal the boy
mounted their horses. bid their re 3Cucr'
adlcu and returned To the block house
which they reached just before shutdown
Bilrs wound was not II serious one, ant
he soon recovered frOm II but he was nc
customed to relate "a he told the story IL
after years, that he never felt so queer II
his life IA he did while lying curlcd dowl
by the dead hogs, when the settlers wcr,
firing and the Indians were tumbling Ou
Of the canoc.-Ered Myron Co'6y, in colder
Days.
Phillips Brooks Tending Baby.
One of the Boston ministers tells story
of Phillips Brooks which is quite toe